The present invention relates to packaging apparatus and in particular to apparatus for packaging rectangular section cartons such as are currently used for containing plain milk, fluoridated and/or flavoured milk, or fruit beverages and which are commonly marketed with a drinking straw attached to the outside of the carton.
It is known to envelope containers in plastics sheeting, for example heat-shrinkable sheeting, but such packaging material is not very satisfactory for holding together the relatively lightweight cartons used for containing milk and fruit beverages. Moreover such an envelope is not easily opened, and does not lend itself to securing together small numbers of cartons in a readily detachable manner.
It is also known from UK-A No. 1403 270 to provide a carrier for cylindrical cans, each having a flange at one end, which takes the form of a plastics strip formed with two rows of apertures, the material surrounding each aperture forming a collar adapted to fit over the flanged upper end of a can, with slits of different lengths preformed in the plastics material between adjacent collars of a row to facilitate parting of the cans from one another. Such a carrier however is not suitable for packaging rectangular section cartons.